Town Square

Illusions, what are they saying?

Original post made
by David Braun, another community,
on Mar 23, 2008

Posted at the request of the author

Dear neighbors,

As I read commentary by local politicians, especially the proponents of Alamo incorporation, I see the same lack of content and same attempts to create the illusion of content that is used in our county, state and national campaigns. Using vague references and comparisons rather that definitions seems to be substance, or lack thereof, of campaigns.

The vaque references are repeated over and over again, then used as basis for claims of results that in reality have no basis. Neighbors have noted that "it is a trick done with smoke and mirrors" or in more Silicon Valley terms, "Vaporware" that simply has no substance to warrant our acceptance or belief.

Posted by Carl Stone
a resident of another community
on Mar 24, 2008 at 8:28 am

Dear neighbors,

There is a strange silence in all the campaign noise. After all that is broadcasted, printed and posted, the audience simply turns a deaf ear to that repeated commentary and lack of content. I wonder if local, county, state and national campaigns realize that voters are simply tuning out the campaign noise and enjoying silence in their own research of candidates and issues.

As many Diable Vista (Alamo) region neighbors have noted, campaigns within our region do not have issues as content or answers as commitments. Much of these campaigns have been repeatedly recognized as drivel by neighbors. The good news is the results. Our neighbors are studying the issues in-depth and creating answers as expectations. No campaign will warrant a majority of neighbors' votes unless neighbors' in-depth answers are confirmed as campaign commitments.

Posted by Kathy Bell
a resident of another community
on Mar 25, 2008 at 7:42 am

Posted at the request of the author

Dear neighbors,

Campaign commentary only implies content and does not promise answers.

As an example, our local incorporation campaign proponents are implying that another level of government promises answers but proponents have not detail any of those answers or what benefit they are to the majority of residents. Our county campaigns are gathering testimonials and sponsorship from countywide leaders but offer no commitment or answers to county issues.

Our State campaigns are lost in political crossfire and only suggest emphasis on certain subjects when elected. Our national campaigns are locked in back-and-forth commentary of our economy and failure in Iraq. All campaign without defined issues, with a lack of answers, and with no real substance in proposals.

Maybe it is time we provide the answers and determine if politicians understand the questions?

Posted by Iron Horse neighbors
a resident of another community
on Mar 26, 2008 at 7:59 am

Posted at the request of the authors

Dear AIM and Contra Costa LAFCo:

Our neighbors have repeated a request submitted to your websites and e-mail addresses, "Please define the structure, operations, staffing, commissions and committees that will be part of a successful incorporation of the Town of Alamo government as is described in AIM's incorporation proposal submitted in application to Contra Costa LAFCo for incorporation."

Posted by Bethany, DVRCC
a resident of another community
on Mar 27, 2008 at 8:05 am

Posted at the request of the author

Dear neighbors,

In response, LAFCo yesterday declared that no specification of incorporation may occur beyond the AIM incorporation proposal. Although not fully accurate within general and municipal law, LAFCo commentary does illustrate one of our Diablo Vista (Alamo) region's issues, the lack of community.

Community exists when people come together in an area or region with common interests and pursue trust in each other to pursue common values. In our region, various local organizations representing a very small minority of residents have joined together to oppose the interests of a majority of neighbors and to ignore any efforts to form a community among neighbors and their neighborhoods. That small minority has declare itself the Alamo Community and appointed themselves community leaders without invitation or inclusion for a majority of neighbors.

Of the major areas of issues neighbors have defined as community, infrastructure, economic development and land use/in-fill, the absence of community is critical. Without community among neighbors no other issues can be defined and resolved. At present, there is only the illusion of community expressed in Alamo Today and by the local organizations in their special interests campaigns.

Methinks it is downright strange that people all post through the same person 'with permission'. Are these all best friends? They all repeat the same things. They always claim to speak for many. Noone else seems to ever heard of or know them so if they are using aliases why even go through another person to post. None are in any other papers. Almost all the blogs in this paper are through this one person on every subject. Just wondering who has so much time. As to illusion, it is illusion to state a 'majority' want this or that as they do above. Was there a valid poll or just inside someone's head madeup numbers to sound good to promote argumentariness? They accuse AIM of not answering questions but they have at least a website that tries. These people mention meetings, a new name for Alamo, etc. Yet no verification is found of that. Maybe it is all done just for a laugh.

Posted by Oxymo Ron
a resident of another community
on Mar 29, 2008 at 2:45 pm

Dear Askidoo,

Let's answer your questions:

#1 - halbailey@yahoo.com, as the CDSI information address, is serving as a firewall to prevent attempts, in December and January, to hack the e-addresses of individuals previously directly posting to this forum. The messages are sent to CDSI and re-entered for posting by request and permission of the author.

#2 - All participants are advised to use an on-line name and a secondary e-mail address through yahoo or hotmail to protect their privacy. The privacy advisory to our region's neighbors is copied from Yahoo as part of Yahoo's recommended security practices for on-line discussions.

#3 - 7418 e-mail addresses currently participate in e-exchanges within their neighborhoods and neighbor to neighor among neighborhoods. Polling is done within neighborhoods and then results are distributed neighborhood to neighborhood. In addition, CDSI has members within professional polling organizations, corporate research organizations and media service research groups that reqularly used e-focus groups in our region to determine preferences on issues.

#4 - e-exchanges are focused, for the most part, on issues and answers with intentions to create discussion within e-exchanges on a private, neighbor to neighbor basis.

#5 - Town Square Forum is the appropriate website for issues and answers from all positions, interests, perceptions and considerations. This forum is broadly read and even more broadly copied and circulated to our region's neighbors.

#6 - The courtesy of changing the name of the broader region to Diablo Vista was to reduce the confusion with the segment that is considered Alamo and the <1400 residents that consider themselves the Alamo Community. The name change was a courtesy to AIM participants and supporters.

#7 - Much of neighbor's e-exchanges are done with exceptional humor and 1 in 1000 messages within the exchanges are ever posted to this forum.

#8 - Neighbor's privacy will never be offered for public validation. Issues and answers of the posted commentary are simply courtesy public presentation often provided with actual data references, such as websites, for public validation.

Neighbors respect your privacy and commentary, and continue to appreciate your challenges. You are an important part of better forum for public consideration of issues and answers.

Posted by David Braun
a resident of another community
on Mar 29, 2008 at 2:59 pm

Posted at the request of the author

Dear neighbors,

Askidoo is repeating a request for public disclosure of private identities. Such disclosures have been made very painful for neighbors considered to be opposition to regional and local political groups. Issues and answers, including detailed reference and research opportunities, are the goals of neighbors' postings to this forum and broad response is appreciated.

Askidoo only has questions without comment on issues or provision of answers. "They accuse AIM of not answering questions but they have at least a website that tries." The AIM website is a campaign site that offers campaign positions and commentary without defined answers to questions posted to the AIM site and this forum.